Shakira

She was in a long term relationship with lawyer Antonio de la Rua for several years before calling it quits in 2011.

She is currently in a relationship with Spanish football player Gerard Pique with whom she also has a son.

She is well-known for her philanthropy and charitable works. She founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation in 1997 which funds special schools all over Columbia for poor children.

She was born as Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll to Nidia Ripoll and William Mebarak Chadid. She had several half-siblings from her father’s previous marriage.

An artistically inclined child, she started writing poetry as a four-year old and also loved to dance from childhood.

She sang and danced to entertain her teachers and schoolmates and earned the nickname ‘the belly dancer girl’.

She was famous in her locality and was often invited to perform at various events.

A local theater producer, Monica Ariza arranged for Ciro Vargas, a Sony Colombia executive, to hold an audition for the teenager. Impressed Sony Colombia singed her to record three albums.

Her debut album ‘Magia’ was released in 1991. It included songs she had written since she was eight. The album did not do well commercially.

Her second album ‘Peligro’ was out in 1993. Even though this album performed better than its predecessor, still it was a commercial failure. After releasing this album, she took a break to attend classes and graduate from high school.

She was back to the music scenario in 1996 with her third album ‘Pies Descalzos’. The album spawned six hit singles and received favourable reviews from critics. She went on the Tour Pies Descalzos to promote her album.

Her next album ‘Donde Estan los Ladrones?’ was out in 1998. It featured Latin Pop style music with elements of rock en Espanol. The album became of the highest selling Spanish language albums in the U.S. with sales of over 7 million copies worldwide.

She made her foray into the English language market with the album ‘Laundry Service’ in 2001. The album was characterized by Latin rock and Latin pop styles and its lead single ‘Whenever, Wherever’ topped the U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.

Her debut English album ‘Laundry Service’ featuring the lead single ‘Whenever, Wherever’ is her best selling album till date with a worldwide sale in excess of 20 million copies. It went Multi-Platinum in several countries.

The single ‘Hips Don’s Lie’ from the album ‘Oral Fixation, Vol. 2’ peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and also reached the No. 1 spot in 55 other countries. It became her signature song and is the best selling single of the 21st century.